"This is a mark of shame for UNESCO, who time after time chooses to stand on the side of lies," Hotovely said. "In spite of the efforts of senior diplomats in the Foreign Ministry, who have tried in the past weeks to thwart the decision that denies history, and despite the achievement of deciding on a secret ballot, the automatic Arab majority succeeded in passing the proposed resolution, which attempts to appropriate the national symbols of the Jewish people."

"In another thousand years, the Cave of the Patriarchs will remain under Jewish sovereignty and UNESCO will cease to exist as a heritage organization.

"The same automatic majority would also have passed a resolution that the sun rises in the west and not in the east.

"Israel will not surrender to historic distortion and will continue the fight against the bias of UN institutions regarding Israel."